Andover Leading as a

Clean Energy Community

Andover, Massachusetts is a leader in finding and using clean energy solutions through harvesting solar energy, building cleaner buildings, moving towards more electric vehicles and maintaining our shared land. In addition organizations throughout Andover work to raise the awareness of how individuals and businesses can improve use of resources. Check out these highlights and join in ☀️


  • Andover Community Power launched in June 2024! People who have signed up are saving money over those still using National Grid. Andover Community Power offers three electricity supply options to all Andover residents and businesses. The Town’s primary offering, Andover Standard, costs less than the current National Grid Residential Basic Service rate while also providing an additional 15% renewable energy! Andover residents and businesses may also choose from two other options: Andover Ultimate, which adds voluntary renewable energy (MA Class IRECs) to total 100%, and Andover Basic which just meets the State minimum standards for renewable energy. 

    Andover Community Power provides long-term price stability, with prices fixed until December 2027. The program will also support the growth of renewable energy here in New England, because all additional renewable energy will come from “Class I” sources. Those are primarily wind and solar, all located within New England.

    Use the official ACP website to participate in the clean energy economy right here in Andover ☀️

  • As Andover’s Director of Sustainability, Dr. Joyce Losick-Yang plays a pivotal role in coordinating and inspiring climate action for the town. Her responsibilities encompass the development and administration of program and policy initiatives that drive Andover’s sustainability endeavors.

    She collaborated with Andover WECAN members to create the town’s first Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory. In April 2022, in partnership with WECAN, she hosted the town’s inaugural Climate Summit. Notably, she spearheaded the development of a Climate Action and Sustainability Plan.

    Joyce Losick-Yang has secured grant funding through various initiatives. Notable grants include:

    • $30,000 DCR Community Forestry Challenge Grant: This grant funded an inventory of street trees in Andover, resulting in the cataloging of 18,000 trees. The study identified an overabundance of Norway Maples and necessitated a focus on biodiversity conservation. Norway Maples lead to a decline in forest diversity due to their excessive shade, hindering the regeneration of sugar maples and other native seedlings. Their shallow root system impedes the growth of other native shrubs and wildflowers in the understory. Additionally, in urban environments, their root systems cause pavement damage, necessitating costly repairs. Other species of flora and fauna, such as insects and birds, may be indirectly affected by the alteration in resource diversity and availability.

    • $131,700 Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Action Grant: This grant supported a land study for the Shawsheen River, enabling the modeling and mapping of potential flood mitigation zones.

    • $9,000 MassDEP EV Charging Station Grant: This grant installed two electric vehicle (EV) charging stations near the field house at Andover High School. These charging stations are utilized heavily throughout the day.

    • $48,000 MassDEP EV Charging Station Grant: This grant installed two EV charging stations in the Andover town lot adjacent to Caffè Nero. These are also heavily used.

    • $271,705 Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Action Grant: This grant developed a hydraulic model of the Shawsheen River, simulating its current and future conditions under climate change scenarios. The model revealed that a substantial impact on reducing flooding in Andover requires upstream collaboration with Billerica, Tewksbury, and Bedford.

    Check out the town’s sustainability work ☀️


  • Andover residents and businesses have installed 9.9 megawatts of solar energy across almost 600 arrays. 9.9 megawatts is more than just a number— it’s turning lights on, charging electric vehicles, keeping food cold in a refrigerator. And in many cases, it’s energy that pays for itself.

    Those nearly 10 megawatts of installed solar arrays can produce about 13,000 megawatt hours of energy in a typical year. That’s enough to power commuting to Boston for a year for 3500 Andover electric vehicles. Or run 26,000 refrigerators for a year. So keep solarizing Andover!

    In 2022, Andover was awarded $500,000 toward rooftop solar on Sanborn Elementary! Planning is underway for this new renewable energy project. There has been some delays as the interconnections to the grid are worked out.

    At town meeting 2023 the town approved a solar power purchase agreement for both West Elementary School and Bancroft School!

    Over half of Andover’s municipal energy comes from solar power, according to Dr. Losick-Yang. In 2020, the town used 6.2 million kWh of renewable electricity generated from a combination of the Palmer Solar Farm plus additional renewables from the Basic Utility minimums.

    In 2024 $147,000 from the Merrimack Valley Gas Disaster settlement installed 16 solar street lights along Andover’s Playstead field and parking lot. By using solar street lights the town avoided the cost of trenching and conduits as well as saving over 75,000 kWh of electricity over their anticipated 22-year lifetime.

  • The Town of Andover is working with the Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration and other partners to restore the ecosystem of the Shawsheen River while enhancing its value to the communities of its watershed.

    The Conservation Commission has been doing a herring count project post Shawsheen dam removal to track the restoration of herring upriver to spawning grounds.

  • Andover has had a power purchase agreement supplying town and school buildings with about 50% of their electricity from renewable sources since 2018. This has saved taxpayers about $1,000,000!

    This is in addition to Andover Community Power.

  • At Town Meeting 2023, the town overwhelmingly supported Article 28 Andover Sustainability Resolution! By passing this resolution, Andover Town Meeting communicated to Andover town government that we are ready to develop and implement a meaningful Climate Plan, set priorities in policy, programs and purchasing, and establish Andover as a climate action community working to create a more resilient and sustainable future!

reuse of waste heat from Ice Arena


  • Andover has 9 buildings in town with LEED certification including:

    The Snyder Center at Phillips Academy— LEED Platinum certified the highest LEED designation
    Atria Marland Place— LEED Gold certified
    The Wellness Center at Phillips Academy— LEED Gold certified
    IRS Center Modernization— LEED Gold certified
    Bancroft Elementary school — LEED Silver certified
    23 Frontage Road — LEED certified
    MassDOT Maintenance Facility Andover— LEED certified
    Raytheon — LEED certified
    Phillips Electronics (since sold to Atlantic Management Corporation) — LEED certified
    Source: Green Building Information Gateway

    In addition, there are many more buildings that have received energy star designation including Andover High School. And the new West El is striving to be LEED silver certified.

  • The Andover Green Advisory Board (AGAB) provides support and advice that contribute to practical environmental solutions, to town boards and departments in Andover.  Additionally, AGAB facilitates communication, education, collaboration and outreach among the various sectors, organizations, departments, community groups and institutions that have an interest in Andover's sustainability.

    The Town's first Climate Action and Sustainability Plan (CASP) was published in September 2023.  AGAB continues to advise and advocate for the goals of that plan as well as asking the Town to:

    • Meet Massachusetts Net Zero Emissions 2050 goals

    • Adopt the Specialized Energy Code

    • Take the steps needed for Andover to be designated as a Climate Leader Community

    • Apply for funding to mitigate climate risks to address issues such as flooding, emergency shelter and public health risks

    • Schedule quarterly meetings between AGAB and the Planning Department regarding Master Plan inputs and sustainability bylaws

  • All of Andover’s street lights use energy-saving LED lighting, using less power and saving 75% over the non-LED energy costs!


  • More and more residents are investing in cleaner transportation by purchasing electric vehicles. On January 1, 2025 980 registered vehicles in Andover were Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) and 414 registered vehicles were Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV). These 1314 vehicles were 4.7% of all registered vehicles in Andover. Up from 2.8% of vehicles as of January 1, 2023. If you are interested in an EV, check out Drive Electric! to get started.

    In addition the Andover police purchased two hybrid Ford Interceptors in 2020. Lieutenant Chuck Edgerly verified fuel efficiency savings. He confirmed the hybrids use only half of the gasoline as conventional vehicles. Assuming 80,000 miles driven over 3 years, and an average of $2.50 per gallon, the net savings on fuel use is roughly $11,000 over 3 years. Even though the Ford Interceptors cost about $4,000 more than the Ford Explorers (non-hybrid model), the net savings to the town is $7,000 over three years per hybrid vehicle. The police department is looking to add to its clean fleet with hybrid and electric models as older vehicles come up for replacement.

  • Andover held its first Climate Summit April 2022, hosted by Andover’s Sustainability Office and Andover WECAN, over 100 people attended. Read the Andover Townsman article on the Summit.

    In September 2022, Andover WECAN hosted Andover’s first Sustainability Fair as part of Andover Day with more than 30 vendors! The Sustainability Fair was held again in 2023 and 2024.

    Andover WECAN hosted the first Andover Youth Sustainability Fair in 2024 and is planning the second one for April 2025.

  • Andover High School has a sustainable garden and has an environmental sustainability internship course (ESIC) where high school juniors and seniors spend a year working with local organizations on issues from designing municipal choice aggregation to writing blogs on climate action to investigating invasive plants and the impact of road salt on our waterways.

    These efforts are in no small part to Andover High teacher Melanie Cutler who was one of just 10 educational professionals honored with a Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators in the entire country in 2020!


  • Did you know that Andover has not one, but two community gardens? Andover Community Garden educates folks about organic gardening and provides opportunities for folks to grow and harvest vegetables, herbs and flowers within a welcoming community setting.

    Garden plots are open to all residents of Andover and surrounding towns who join the Association.

    For more information see AndoverGarden.com.

  • Local organizations in town have protected open space for decades and more is being done each year. AVIS manages more than 30 reservations comprising more than 1,200 acres in the Town of Andover. Andover Trails is dedicated to enjoying and promoting access to our treasured outdoor resources. The Andover Conservation Commission aims to protect Andover’s natural resources. As of 2021, there are over 2,200 acres of protected land that are held in the care and custody of the Andover Conservation Commission.

  • Andover was one of the inaugural Green Communities designated in 2010. Now 286 Massachusetts cities and towns are recognized by the State Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Green Communities Program. This designation represents our commitment to find clean energy solutions and apply conservation to reduce our energy use by at least 20%. Through 2024 Andover had been awarded over $1,100,000 in Green Community grants.